Our Daughter One-Shot
by SoulReaperCrewe
Summary: No one felt the pressure of Totsuki Academy like Megumi did. The whispers and the rumours from her classmates never failed to bring down her confidence, but she pushed forward like she was raised to do. However, discovering her name was nominated for the Autumn Election Exams finally pushed Megumi to the breaking point. Who can save her? The two people who love her the most.


**I love Food Wars and this is a one-shot I've been tidying up recently. I hope you all enjoy some mushy goodness. **

* * *

**A Naruto/Food Wars One Shot**

**Our Daughter**

Megumi was a nervous wreck as she sat inside her bedroom within the Polar Star Dormitory. Her hands were clasped together, shaking like a leaf against the cold winds thanks to her nerves going haywire.

The reason for her nerves? She had just found out she had been selected to take part in the Autumn Election Exams, an event that took sixty of the most promising first-year students in Totsuki Culinary Academy. In all honesty, Megumi never imagined in a million years, she of all people would get selected for such an honour. When the first forty names were sent out, she was not surprised to find her name was not amongst the chosen ones. Deep down she felt relieved. She didn't think she could handle the pressure. She wasn't like her friends who had confidence oozing out of their butts.

However, much to her horror, when she and the rest of Polar star Dormitory discovered the final twenty names of the individuals who would be taking part in the Elections were available, she was left fear stricken when she found her name among the participants. Her stomach dropped, and could barely make out her thoughts as Yuki and Ryoko glomped her in a tight hug, happy that all three of them had a chance to shine in front of their peers. She tried to appear happy, but the mask she wore was fragile at best. Her fears were taking over, and Megumi did the only thing she could think.

She ran. Ignoring the calls of her friends, she ran as fast as she could back to the Polar Star Dormitory, giving Miss Fumio a brief hello when she walked inside, before diving into her room and locking the door behind her. She wasn't sure how long she sat by her bed, her knee's brought up to her chest as she sobbed out her frustrations. Everyone else was likey back by now, and she could have sworn she heard Yuki knocking on the door earlier. Her friends were likely worried

She thought of her friends who were involved in the Elections. Soma naturally had been one of the first selected, having made an impact on the 92nd generation the moment he stepped foot within Totsuki's halls. The red-haired teen oozed confidence and wasn't afraid of any challenge laid out in front of him. Yuki and Ryoko were both selected as well, and Megumi wasn't surprised her two closest friends were both chosen. Both were immensely talented and were both far more deserving to be in the Elections then she was. Even Shun and Zenji were selected, and both had talent in spades. All five of her friends rightfully deserved to be in Elections, but for reasons unknown to her, she had the spotlight shining down on her too.

She knew what it entailed to be part of the Autumn Election Exams, having watched the exams back during her time in the Junior High portion of the school. She'd seen students buckle under the pressure, and receive criticism from the chosen judges to such an extent that some of them stopped cooking altogether they were so harsh. The eyes of everyone would be on her. Her peers, her teachers, the whole world would all be looking at her, expecting her to pull off some culinary masterpiece.

She couldn't do it.

She had to pull out.

A gentle knock at her door snapped Megumi out of her trance. She could hear someone leaning against the door and saw someone's feet from underneath the cracks. "Megumi-chan, is everything okay?" It was her senpai, Isshiki speaking, and she noticed the gentle tone in his voice. "Yuki told me you ran off after seeing your name on the board of chosen individuals for the Election Exams. Everyone's worried about you. "

A pang of guilt built up in her stomach, and Megumi couldn't stop herself from biting the bottom of her lip. She didn't want people to worry about her. She just wanted to be alone right now. She didn't want to drag everyone down and force them to wallow because of her. "I-I'm fine. Everything's okay, honest. I was surprised, that's all." She knew she didn't sound convincing, and the hitch in her words was enough to confirm that. She was a terrible liar.

When Isshiki replied, she knew he hadn't bought her words, "Megumi-chan, you sound distressed. Is it about the Election Exam?" He asked, but Megumi didn't reply. She sat against her bed, silence hanging over them, trying to find the right words. It was the Elite Ten who picked the students that would be taking part in the Exam, and since Isshiki was the current 7th seat, she knew he was likely the one who put her name forward. "Why don't you come out and we can talk about it. Everyone's excited."

Though no one was watching, Megumi shook her head.

"I'm okay, Senpai. It's just a lot to take in, you know." She clenched her tiny hands together, and rested them against her knee's, "I just want to be alone right now." One of her hands came up to cover her mouth, but Megumi wasn't quick enough to stifle the sob. _'Why am I so weak!?'_

"Are you crying Megumi-chan?" His words became softer and looking at his shadow from cracks under her door she could tell he was crouching down next to her room. "Please, don't cry. What's upset you?" Megumi stifled another sob, tears beginning to run down her face.

_'Please, go away!'_

"Let me help you."

_'Go away!'_

"Whatever it is that has you upset I'm sure we can figure it out."

Again, Megumi shook her head, and a build of frustration welled up inside her. "Why did you choose me!" Her words came out harsher then she intended, but she wanted to know. The question was floating around in her mind the second she saw her name on the board. It was all she could think about from that moment to now. She wanted an answer.

"W-What?" He sounded startled, surprised at hearing Megumi raise her voice. She never raised her voice, not once. Megumi was quiet and timid, so hearing her speak in such a tone told the 7th Seat how serious she was. "What do you mean? We chose you because you're a great chef, Megumi-chan. You deserve to have a spot in the Exam."

"You're wrong. You're completely wrong. It should be someone else, and not me. I don't deserve to be in the Exams. I'm not good enough." Her words about her skills as a chef were harsh, but she spoke true. It was how she felt about herself. It was only now when she saw her name on that board did Megumi's doubt about herself become encompassing.

A gasp came from behind the door, and Megumi's eyes widened when recognising the gasp. "Yuki?" She whispered, looking towards the door and watching as a second shadow appeared next to Isshiki. How long had she been there? Who else was out there with them? Rapt knocks came from the door, and instantly Megumi knew it was her orange-haired friend.

"Don't say that, Megumi-chan! You're a wonderful chef, just like senpai said!" Yuki was trying to sound chipper, but she worried about her friend.

"No, I'm not, Yuki. I'm just dead weight to everyone." Her reply came out as a whisper, but the others all heard her. She thought back to all the times she paired up with her friends, or with the other students at Totsuki Academy and couldn't help but feel insignificant in comparison. "I shouldn't be in the Exams. It's a mistake."

"No, you're not! Isshiki senpai chose you because he knows what a great chef you are! Everyone at Polar Star knows that too!" Yuki reasoned.

"She's right, Megumi, this isn't you." Megumi buried her head into her hands. Ryoko was there too! "You have the jitters, that's all. We're all nervous too, but it's good to be nervous. Come on out, and we'll help you get over your nerves. We can start trying to speculate what the theme might be! Every Exam has a theme, remember?"

"Yeah, see! Ryoko-chan is right!"

Despite their kind words, they failed to reach their blunette friend. "You guys don't get it. Since I started at Totsuki Academy, I've stayed at the bottom of most of my classes, and the only ones I'm passing is thanks to Soma!" Megumi's voice sounded desperate, "I walk into a room, and I can feel the pressure on my shoulders. I walk into a room, and everyone's eyes are on me. Everyone looks at me, waiting for me to slip up. The pressure starts to get worse, and my nerves become so bad I start making mistakes. They make comments about how I don't belong here, and it gets worse and worse. I know I have stage fright, but I always thought I'd grow out of it. I always thought it would go away, but it only got worse." Her bottled up feelings over the last three years flooded out. She couldn't stop it, and her friends at the door could do nothing but stand and listen.

Her friends knew about her stage fright. Megumi was naturally a timid and quiet person, but as she spoke, the realisation that their friend had been suffering from these feelings wormed its way into the bodies.

"I wanted to make my parents proud, but all I've done is disappoint them. I've lied to them about how I've been doing because I couldn't stand to see their disappointment! I tried to improve to make them proud, but all I've done is fall over at every hurdle. They've always believed in me, but I knew their beliefs were misplaced. I love them both so much, but now I know I don't belong in the culinary world. I can't do it."

She shook her head again, feeling sick at the prospect of her parent's disappointment. Her stomach lurched forward but managed to keep it down, "I know you want to help, but there is nothing I can do. I've been feeling this way for a while now but seeing my name on the board only solidified those thoughts. I don't belong here. I wish I realised this a long time ago." Megumi gulped hard, her tears spilling down her cheeks as she basked in her own self-loathing. "I'm sorry, Isshiki-senpai, but you made a mistake. Please find someone to take my place."

"Megumi-chan.." She heard him whisper, "Don't do this. We can work this out."

She rubbed her eyes, staring up at the ceiling as she took a deep breath, "Please, Isshiki-senpai. I-I can't do this."

Isshiki didn't know what to say, and she pictured the sad expression on his face. She didn't like hurting people, but she wanted him to see his confidence in her was misplaced. He'd been an incredible support for everyone at Polar Star Academy, but now, she didn't want him to waste his time with her any longer.

"If-If that's what you want, M-Megumi-chan."

"It is," Megumi replied, and felt her eyes beginning to become heavy. It was only now that Megumi realised how much time had passed. The events of the day and the emotional turmoil she was feeling was catching up to her. She tried to stop her yawn, but couldn't help herself. "I'm okay with this. Please believe me. I want to be alone for a little while, and get some sleep. I'm sorry if I've upset you all, but this is for the best."

Wincing from the stiffness in her legs, Megumi crawled onto her bed and felt her body relax as her head nuzzled into the pillow. Within minutes, Megumi was fast asleep.

* * *

"I've never seen her like this before." Ryoko whispered, her eyes lingering on the door to Megumi's room. Tears threatened to spill down her face, though Yuki had not been as fortunate. The smaller girl's face was already red and blotchy from crying, and for once, Ryoko couldn't blame her. "What can we do?"

"I don't know," Isshiki replied, his voice dulled from its usual happy tone. No doubt he felt partially responsible for Megumi's current feelings, but Ryoko wouldn't and couldn't blame him. How was he to know Megumi would react in such a way? None of them saw this coming? "I-I didn't think she would react like this. I thought this would be a good thing."

"Poor Megumi-chan," Yuki sniffled, making Ryoko gently pat her friend on the back. "M-Maybe Soma can help her? He has a knack for these things. The guys should be back soon. Maybe Shun and Zenji can help out too?"

"I don't think even Soma can help her out of this one." Ryoko held her hands to her chest, her heart going out to the bluenette member of their Polar Star Family. "Megumi doubts her place at Totsuki. Her confidence, what little she had since returning from Hell Week has been shattered." Ryoko hiccuped, her emotions getting the better of her. "Add the fact that for three years the other students have been putting her down has only made things worse. I didn't know it was as bad as she mentioned."

Ryoko wrapped her arm around Yuki, and together, the two girls wept for their friend. "What will you do Isshiki-senpai?" Ryoko asked.

In truth, the 7th seat knew what he had to do, but every fibre of his being was trying to fight against it. If Megumi didn't want to compete in the Autumn Exam, then she didn't have too. It was her choice, and he had to respect that decision. The only problem with that decision was that no one dropped out of the Exam. In the 43 years that the Exam had taken place, no student had ever willingly dropped out of the Exam. The Autumn Exam was the event that showcased the talents of the newest batch of Totsuki students. Anyone who was trying to make it as a chef wanted to be involved in the Exam.

Dropping out of the Autumn Exam meant killing any future in the culinary world.

"If she doesn't want to compete then I'll have to go back to the Council of Ten and inform them we need a replacement."

"But if that happens, then she will be expelled," Ryoko replied, knowing what her dropping out would imply.

"I know, but we can't force her to compete."

"You won't have to," Isshiki, Ryoko and Yuki all turned their head, and found Miss Fumio standing a few meters behind them, her arms folded across her chest. A tired expression was on her face, and a phone rested in her hand. "Don't inform the Elite Ten on anything. Megumi will take part in the Autumn Election."

"But she said-"

"I know what she said. I heard everything." Miss Fumio ran a hand through her spiky hair, "I had a feeling something like this might happen. Ever since she came to Polar Star, I was wondering when the walls she put up would begin to crumble."

"You did?" Yuki asked, speaking through her sniffles.

Miss Fumio nodded. "Megumi, she's not like the rest of you," She revealed, "While she is a kind and thoughtful girl who loves to cook, she doesn't have the confidence you all share. The pressure that you all feel, Megumi feels it more so. She feels like the weight of the world is on her shoulders, and that she had to prove herself. That pressure caused her to develop stage fright, and it's caused her to become timid. A chef can't afford to be timid. They need to be tough. Today, finding out she was going to have to be in front of thousands of people, many of whom are her peers, it pushed her over the edge." Miss Fumio shook her head and sighed, "It's fight or flight, and Megumi is giving in to her bodily instinct to run."

Miss Fumio took a couple of steps closer to the group, with Isshiki standing back up. "What do we do?"

Miss Fumio looked at him dead in the eye, "You will do nothing. None of you will," Ryoko and Yuki tried to argue, wanting to be there to help there friend. However, the Dom Mother of Polar Star Dormitory was having none of it. "In truth, there is nothing we can do. Right now, Megumi is feeling at her lowest. There are only two people that can get her out of this funk she's in."

Ryoko and Yuki looked between each other, curious who Miss Fumio meant. Isshiki, on the other hand, had a look of understanding on his face.

"Who?" Ryoko asked.

"You'll see," Was all she told them before she turned and walked away back down the hallway. She ignored the calls from Yuki and Ryoko and scrolled through the contacts list in her phone before bringing it up to her ear.

It took half a minute of ringing, before a voice picked up on the opposite end of the phone, "Hello! Who is it?" Miss Fumio blinked in surprise at the child voice that greeted her, and swiftly closed the door to her room.

"Hello. Is your Mother or Father there?"

"Yep. Mama and Papa are in the kitchen getting dinner ready. We're having ramen tonight!"

_'Why does that not surprise me?'_ She thought, before asking, "Could you go and get one of them for me. Tell them it's Miss Fumio calling, and that it's regarding Megumi."

"Megumi nee-chan?" The child asked, "Is Nee-chan okay?"

"She's okay, but I need to speak to your parents about her. Can you do that for me?" She pressed. The child hummed on the other end of the phone, causing Fumio's patience to get tested. Finally, after a few moments, the voice replied.

"Okay!"

Fumio sighed in relief, and kept her phone to her ear like the faint sounds of the child's footsteps could be heard. She heard new voices in her ear, and a brief fumbling around with the phone before an all too familiar male voice spoke on the other end of the phone.

"Hey, Granny." The voice greeted her, and Fumio swore she heard a feminine voice in the background scold him. "Hima-chan said you wanted to talk about Megumi. Is everything okay?"

Miss Fumio took a deep breath, "No, everything's not okay. Megumi was picked by the Elite Ten to take part in the Autumn Election Exams." She told him and went on to explain everything she had heard from the earlier conversation between Megumi and her friends. She didn't mince her words since she knew this wasn't the time to be vague. If there was anyone who could help Megumi, then it was the two people who inspired her to become a chef.

As she spoke, the voice said nothing and listened silently, as Fumio explained everything.

"I've never seen her like this before, kid. She's locked herself up in her room, and she won't come out. Her friends are worried, and honestly, so am I. This will break her, Naruto. She has the heart of a chef, but she's being brought down by her insecurities. She needs you both. She needs her parents."

To her relief, she didn't have to wait long for an answer.

"We'll be there tonight."

* * *

"We'll be there tonight." He replied, his free hand clenched tightly in a fist as he put the phone down. Around him the quiet chatter of his family had ceased, having listened in to his conversation with Miss Fumio. They were all surprised and delighted to hear from the Dorm Mother of Polar Star Dormitory, but he could sense the change in their demeanour when his face went serious.

Naruto Uzumaki stared down at the table, his thoughts jumbled as he listened to his wives voice calling out for him. When he didn't answer, he heard the seat to his wife's chair scrape against the floor, and her soft slipper-clad feet hitting the ground. He didn't need to guess where she was going and felt her soft, petite hands rest against his elbow, while the other brought his face in her direction.

Blue eyes met the beautiful lavender ones he fell in love with all those years ago. Her eyes were full of worry.

"What's wrong? Has something happened to Megumi?" She asked, her tone gentle, "Tell me, please."

He swallowed thickly, taking a calming breath as he turned to face his wife, "Our daughter needs us, Hina-chan."

No more words had to be said. Nothing more needed to be said. Everything else could wait for the journey to Totsuki Academy. When it came to the children of Naruto and Hinata Uzumaki, nothing was more important, and by the sounds of it, their daughter needed them desperately. He watched the cogs begin to move inside his wives brain and smiled as she started to take charge of the situation.

"Hang on, Megumi-hime. Mom and Dad are coming."

* * *

Later that Evening

The sound of the front doors to Polar Star Dormitory caught most of the residents by surprise. It was long after ten in the evening, but none of the residents could bring themselves to sleep. They were too worried about their favourite blunette who was still locked up inside her room. The boys had all returned hours ago and were informed of the situation with Megumi by Ryoko. Unsurprisingly, they all went back to Megumi's dorm room and tried to convince her to come out.

Despite having known Megumi for the least amount of time, Soma had spent close to an hour sitting outside Megumi's door, trying to coax her to come out. Sadly, his efforts were to no avail and eventually was convinced by Isshiki to leave her be. Despite his protests, Isshiki told him not to worry, and that the cavalry was on the way and would be with them soon. When Soma and the others asked who he was referring too, all the 7th seat told them was for them to wait and see.

Everyone was stood around in a circle in the kitchen when the sounds of the doors opened, and a voice called out, "Hey, Granny! We're here."

"Huh? Who's that?" Soma asked, and watched as Miss Fumio quickly got to her feet, muttering something under her breath with a scowl on her face.

Isshiki followed after their Dorm Mother, but not before smiling at Soma and the rest of his precious juniors, "That would be the cavalry. You might want to come and say hello."

Soma and his fellow First years just looked at one another for the briefest of moments, before quickly getting to their feet and following after them. Walking the corridors of Polar Star, the group appeared in the Main Foyer of the building and were treated to the image of Miss Fumio swatting the back of the head of some tall blonde they didn't recognise.

"Stop calling me that, you brat!

"But it's true. Your hair is all grey! You can't keep hitting me for telling the truth!" The blonde said, before getting another swat. "Stop that!"

Getting a good look at the blonde, Ryoko and Yuki couldn't stop the blush from rising to their faces. The man was tall and tanned, and if they had to guess, he was somewhere in the late thirties with bright blue eyes and sun-kissed blonde hair kept short. The man sported a light stubble on his face, which only served to add a roguish quality to his appearance. It would have been cute if the man wasn't so handsome. Dressed in dark jeans and a dark orange t-shirt that sat beneath a dark jacket, the girls couldn't prevent the hearts from appearing within their eyes. His look was topped off by a necklace with a green gem hanging around the middle of his chest.

_'He's very handsome.' _Both girls thought.

Miss Fumio didn't appear affected like the younger girls and snorted. Once she was finished slapping the blonde, she crossed her arms over her chest, "It's been over twenty years since you were a resident in these Halls, and you're still a cheeky brat who doesn't respect his elders." She replied though everyone sensed the humour in her voice. There was a fondness in her eyes that the residents only saw when she spoke about the Golden Era of Polar Star.

The blonde laughed, and wrapped an arm around the older woman, pulling her in for a hug. Miss Fumi didn't resist and happily reciprocated the exchange, wrapping her slender arms around his middle.

"It's good to see you, gaki."

"It's good to see you too, Granny."

"Miss Fumio!" They heard, and this time it was the boys turns to develop blushes. The woman couldn't be described as anything less than a goddess and put all the women in Totsuki to shame. She was of average height, standing just below the man's shoulder with long dark-blue hair that ran down to her lower back. Compared to the man, she was much lighter in skin tone, with beautiful lavender eyes and perfect skin. Despite how late it was, she was in a beautiful sun-dress, which left the teenage males gawking and fighting not to travel down and admire her sizable...assets. Even the calm Isshiki and Shun were caught off guard when they saw her, with the messy-haired teen's eyes being visible for once as he gawked.

"Hinata." Miss Fumio broke the hug and reacted quickly by giving Hinata a tight hug.

"How is she? Have you had any luck?" Hinata whispered, her voice full of worry for her daughter. Her face dipped when Miss Fumio shook her head but felt the comforting arm of her husband wrap around her shoulder. "My poor baby."

Naruto kissed the top of his wives head, "It's okay, Hina-chan. We're here now. That's what's important." Naruto consoled and looked up towards the stairs. "Come on, Hina-chan. Let's go up and see her."

Hinata smiled up at her husband, grasping his free hand into hers. "Right." They thanked Miss Fumio before beginning their way up the stairs. "Room 302, right? My old room?"

"That's the one," Miss Fumio confirmed.

"Urm, excuse me." Naruto and Hinata both stopped halfway up the stairs and looked back down to the foyer. It was Yuki who spoke, and who took a step towards them with a look of confusion on her face. "Who are you? How do you know Megumi?"

"Orange hair, and teal eyes," Naruto whispered to himself, trying to remember the names of Megumi's friends. It took a few moments, but the name came back to him, and clicked his fingers when he had it, "Your name is Yuki, right?" He asked, and watched Yuki nod her head, "Megumi-chan has told us a lot about you. She's told us a lot about all of you. We were both happy to hear she had made such wonderful friends."

"Thank you for looking after Megumi for us. We're indebted to you all," Hinata added, briefly separating from Naruto and giving Yuki a brief hug, surprisingly the younger girl. "As for who we are, we're Megumi's parents." The revelation surprised everyone since Megumi didn't talk much about her family. "My name is Hinata Uzumaki, and this is my husband, Naruto Uzumaki. We came as soon as we heard what was happening with our precious daughter."

Hinata smiled at them all, before returning to her husband's side. "Thank you for trying to help Megumi-chan, but please leave the rest to us," Naruto added before the two parents headed up the stairs.

When they were out of view, Miss Fumio sighed, and her shoulders relaxed. "Alright kiddies, you can all believe Megumi will be in the best of hands. There is no need to worry anymore." She turned to look at them all and raised an eyebrow at the shocked looks on everyone's faces, minus Isshiki and Soma.

"So that was Megumi's parents? They seem nice. She looks a lot like her mom." Soma said, his hands in his pockets and feeling less stressed out then he did earlier. Knowing Megumi's parents were here to help her made him feel like everything was going to be okay, and that they wouldn't be saying goodbye to her any time soon. He had some new recipe ideas rolling around in his head he wanted to try out with her since she was the only one willing to try them out for him. "Huh, what's wrong with you guys?"

Looking around the foyer, he noticed Yuki, Ryoko, Zenji, Shun, Daigo and Shoji still staring at the stairs, their faces stuck in a look of awe and shock. Their eyes were wide as dinner plates, and their jaws were open as wide as they could go. "Don't mind them, Soma. They're just coming to terms with some new information." Isshiki told him, appearing next to him and patting him on the shoulder.

"New information? What new information?"

"About Megumi's parents."

"What about them?" Soma appeared confused, not getting what the big deal was.

"Soma," A male voice said. Soma turned his head, recognising Shun's voice and looking his way. "Don't you know who they are?"

Soma shook his head, "Should I?" He asked. He didn't get what the big deal was. The red-haired boy was taken out of his musings when the petite frame of Yuki was suddenly in front of him, her hands on his collar and proceeded to throttle him around like a ragdoll.

"Ahh, you're impossible, Soma! How do you not know who they are! Everyone knows their names!" Yuki retorted, her eyes turning into a blazing fire as she tried to make Soma see sense. The most recent member of their Polar Star family could be infuriating with his gaps in knowledge. How did he not know! "I didn't recognise them at first, but it's them!"

"I'm confused!"

"Soma, do you honestly not recognise their names?" Ryoko asked, her tone gentler and softer then Yuki's. Her friend could be eccentric when it came to Soma's knowledge gaps. When soma shook his head, she sighed, as did everyone else in the room. "Soma, Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Uzumaki are both Totsuki Alumni," She revealed, causing Soma's eyes to widen marginally. "There's not a single person in the Culinary World who doesn't know their names. Well, at least, except you."

"They're a big deal?"

"Two of the biggest you might ever meet." This time it was Miss Fumio who spoke, her eyes boring into Soma's with annoyance. Yuki let go of Soma and ran into the kitchen, and returned a moment later with a magazine in her hand. She flipped through the magazine until she found the page she was looking for, and shoved the magazine in Soma's face. Blinking, Soma took the magazine from Yuki and explored the contents she wanted him to see. The page showed Megumi's Mom in a traditional kimono wearing a warm smile and standing in front of a beautiful-looking Ryokan. Above the picture, the title was highlighted in giant bold letters, **Best Ryokan in Japan for 10 Years Running!**

"Hinata Uzumaki is one of the leading female chef's in Japan," Yuki added, looking over the page from Soma's shoulder, "You'll find her cookbooks for home cooking in nearly every home. She's very popular with first-time mothers and families. Not to mention she was born into the Hyuga Family, who specialises in Traditional Japanese Cuisine and Seafood. There isn't a female chef under 35 that doesn't idolise her!"

"It's from her that Megumi inherited her talents in hospitality. Like Mother, like daughter." Fumio added.

Soma whistled as Ryoko reappeared next to him, holding another magazine in her hand. It was as recent as the one Yuki gave him, but Soma eagerly took it either way. This time, it was Naruto he was looking at, and Soma couldn't take his eyes away as Megumi's father was stood in a beautiful kitchen, a look of concentration on his face as he worked over a large ramen bowl. Above the picture, the title was highlighted in giant bold letters, saying, "**Uzumaki Makes History! Earns the long-awaited second Michelin Star!"**

"Wow," Was all Soma could say, as realisation began to dawn on him.

"That's right," Shun replied, as everyone started to collect themselves, "And this copy is over a year old. Word on the grapevine is that he's close to attaining his third star for his restaurant, 'Hokage Ramen.'

"Not to mention he only started running for the Michelin Stars three years ago after he topped the list of Best Chef in Japan six years running. His Ramen dishes are recognised as some of the best you'll find in the world." Zenji added. The bespectacled boy looked as if he was going to faint at any moment. "You won't meet heavyweights in the Culinary world greater then Naruto and Hinata Uzumaki. They're at the top of the mountain with the best of the best."

"They're on the same level as my Dad?" Soma whispered, and saw everyone nod their heads.

"Former 1st Seat of the 68th Generation, Naruto Uzumaki, and former 2nd Seat of the 68th Generation, Hinata Uzumaki, nee Hyuga." Miss Fumio muttered, pride resonating from her body. "Two of the best to have ever walked into this Academy."

* * *

**Polar Star Third Floor**

"Been a long time since I've been here," Naruto whispered, standing outside room 302. Memories of his time at Totsuki Academy came flooding back. All the all-nighters he remembered pulling to prepare for Exams, or Shokugeki's sprung to mind, along with all the times he snuck into Hinata's room at night. Half the time Miss Fumio managed to catch him, having the hearing of a hawk and marching him back to his room. "We had some good time's in this room."

He grinned and bumped his hip against his wife. A coy smile made its way on her face, and she gently slapped him on the chest. If they were still teenagers, his wife would have blushed up a storm and be left a stuttering mess. However, the woman beside him was far from the shy girl she had once been and grew into the confident and trailblazing woman that earned the respect of her peers.

"Behave. Remember why we're here."

"Yes, Love," Naruto replied and knocked on the door to room 302. "Megumi-hime, it's Dad."

Both leaned in when they heard shuffling coming from inside. Soft footsteps approached them and heard someone stop shy of the door.

"Daddy?" Her soft voice reached them, and slowly, they heard the door unlock. Both Naruto and Hinata watched as the door slowly opened up, and both sucked in a breath of air when they saw the state of their daughter. Her eyes were bloodshot from her crying, and despite falling asleep earlier, Megumi hadn't lasted long before waking back up. Her eyes looked up at her father, before crossing over to her mother. "Mama? You're here too?"

Hinata gently nodded, "Miss Fumio called us." Was all Hinata said, and watched as Megumi's bottom lip started to quiver. The sign was all Hinata needed before Naruto watched her go into full Mom mode, and wrapped Megumi in her arms, bringing her into a tight hug. It wasn't long before Megumi's sob reached their ears, and the parents felt their hearts break, "Oh, honey."

Gently guiding Megumi back into the room without breaking the hug, Hinata watched as her husband closed the door behind them and muffled the speaking tubes with his jacket, wanting privacy as they spoke with their daughter. Once done, he joined his wife and wrapped his daughter up in a hug, sandwiching her between her parents. Neither said anything and stood there comforting their daughter, gentle shushes coming from Hinata while Naruto rubbed circles on Megumi's arm. Megumi shook as she cried, her petite hands clutching at Hinata's dress.

After a couple of minutes passed, Hinata was the first to break the hug and pulled out some tissues from her bag. Gently, she wiped Megumi's face and helped to dry her eyes before guiding her to the foot of the bed. Naruto joined them, and both rested a hand on Megumi's shoulder.

"How much did Miss Fumio tell you?" Megumi asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Everything," Naruto revealed, watching as Megumi looked down at the ground in shame, "Honey, why didn't you tell us you were struggling? We would have helped you."

Megumi sniffled, rubbing her eyes with her hand, "I know, but I felt ashamed."

"Why did you feel ashamed, Megumi?" Hinata asked, her voice low. She wanted to get to the bottom of her daughter's feelings. Seeing Megumi in her current state made Hinata want to wrap her up in her husband's coat and take her back home. She wanted to shroud her daughter in the love and warmth they gave all their children.

"Because I'm not like the two of you," She revealed, making their eyes widen, "I didn't want to let you down. You've both done so much for me, and I didn't want you to think that everything you've taught me has gone to waste. I was afraid you would think less of me."

"Honey, we would never think any less of you. You should never be afraid to ask your Dad and me for help. That's what we're here for, to help you and support you whenever you need us. Our duty as parents doesn't stop because you live away from us."

Megumi nodded her head up at Hinata, "I know, but I always thought if I asked for help, I'd look weak. Everyone else is so smart and confident. Then there's me, who's failing her classes and barely scraping her way into the Highschool Division. The only reason I got this far is thanks to Soma."

"The red-haired boy from downstairs?" Naruto asked, and watched Megumi nod in confirmation. "He looked worried about you when we arrived. All of your friends did. You and Soma are good friends?"

Megumi hummed, "We are. We're usually partners in joint assignments."

Naruto nodded, "That's nice, and I bet he values your teamwork more then you realise. As skilled as a chef is, he or she can't run a restaurant or a diner all on their own no matter how good they are. There's no I in the word team, Megumi-chan." His hand came to rest on Megumi's back and gently rubbed the spot in circles, "These feelings, they all came out today when you saw your name included in the list of students selected for the Autumn Election Exams?"

Megumi again nodded her head, "I don't know what happened. I saw my name on the list and I heard some of the other students whispering that I didn't belong in the Exam. All these feelings just came out, and I didn't know what else to do but run." She sniffled again and rubbed the fresh tears away from her eyes.

Naruto and Hinata looked at each other, sharing a quick worried glance to one before looking back at Megumi. Ever since Megumi was little, she had an issue with her confidence. She was a lot like Hinata at that young age, being shy and not fairing well when all eyes were on her. They helped her as much as they could and over time she excelled and became a braver girl. However, coming to Totsuki Culinary Academy, and being around so many talented young men and women who all have the same dream of becoming a great chef, Naruto and Hinata began to realise how isolated Megumi felt because of her insecurities. Her confidence was being knocked down by the snide comments and the nasty whispers the other students threw her way. She kept it all bottled up, refusing to tell them or her friends because she didn't want to be a disappointment to them. She didn't want to let them down.

Internally, the parent's hearts broke even further, with Hinata's eyes glazing over with her tears, and Naruto's free hand clenched tightly next to his leg.

"Megumi, you know we're proud of you, don't you?" Naruto said, dropping to his knee's and crouching in front of his daughter. "You are such a wonderful person, and I wish you could see yourself the same way we see you." Megumi's lip quivered and felt Hinata's arm tighten around her shoulders, her head resting against Megumi's braided hair. Her hair smelled like the coconut shampoo, the same kind she had ever since she was little. "You're going to be a marvellous chef, and you're going to prove everyone wrong at the Elections."

"T-The E-Elections!? B-But I c-can't do that!" Megumi shook her head, a look of panic on her face. "I-I c-can't. I can't do it. I can't go up there with everyone looking at me. D-Daddy please!" She lurched forward, surprising her parents when she buried her face on her father's chest. Naruto was quick to catch her and manoeuvred her around so that he was sitting with the bed behind him, with Megumi resting in his lap, his arms cradling her like he did when she was small. He felt Hinata moved next to them, her hand running through Megumi's hair. "I can't do it."

"Yes you can, Megumi-chan. You are one of the smartest and bravest people I know." He whispered, a memory appearing in his mind as he held her, "Do you remember when you nine, and Grandpa had that nasty fall and hurt his back?"

The sniffles coming from Megumi stopped and felt her lean her head to look up at him with teary eyes. She nodded weakly.

"We were all worried about him, but none more so than you. You took special care of Grandpa when he couldn't move around too good, and you followed him like a shadow for weeks because you wanted to make sure he didn't do anything too strenuous. You even cooked for him and made sure he ate his vegetables to help him regain his strength. You were sterner then your Mom and Aunt Hanabi when it came to Grandpa's health." Naruto smiled, as a watery smile appeared on Hinata's face as he retold the story. "You care so much for the people around you that you instal so much love and warmth into their hearts, and you show that through your cooking the same way your Mom does."

A twitch of a smile appeared on Megumi's face, so Naruto continued his story.

"However, though Grandpa health improved, everyone noticed he couldn't perform the goosefish demonstration at your Mom's Ryokan anymore. The pain in his back would flare-up. It upset him to know he couldn't do it anymore, and you saw how much it ate away at him. Do you remember what you did?"

Despite her shaky and soft voice, Naruto and Hinata heard her clearly, "I learned how to perform the goosefish demonstration."

"Yes, you did. You went down to the docks without telling anyone, and you asked the fisherman to teach you. How we didn't notice you slip away every time, I'll never know. You're sneaky like a ninja, my little hime," He joked, poking her in the stomach and getting a laugh from his daughter, "A couple of weeks later you walked into the Ryokan, and you told us all you had something you wanted to show us. You had me set up one of the goosefish in the garden and made everyone watch as you perfectly prepared the goosefish. You surprised all of us, your Mom and I included, and your Grandpa was so proud of you. His smile got wider and wider with every cut."

"The thought to learn a skill like the hanging goosefish preparation wouldn't have crossed the minds of most, because of how difficult it is. You, on the other hand, learned the skill at the age of 9. Do you know what that told us, Megumi-chan? Do you know what it made us realise?" It was Hinata's turn to speak, gently putting herself into the conversation, "It told us you had the heart and the mind of a chef. Every parent knows their child is special and you proved to everyone just how special you are."

Naruto hummed in agreement, "You've wanted to be a chef for as long as I can remember. Ever since your Mom invited you to help her cook dinner all those years ago when you were small. You took to it like a fish to water. Do you still want to be a chef, Megumi-hime?"

Megumi wiped her eyes and spoke clearer than had previously, "I do, more than anything."

"Then a chef you will be." He replied before a sorrowful look appeared on his face, "I'm sorry we haven't been there for you as much as we should have been, Hime. If we had known you were carrying all these feelings around for as long as you have, then we would have stepped in sooner. Can you forgive your silly Dad?"

"Daddy, there's nothing to forgive," Megumi said in a panic, throwing her arms around her father's neck, and hugging him close again, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have been so scared to tell you and Mama. I didn't want you to be disappointed in me, or feel ashamed."

"We know, Honey. We're just thankful we know now," Hinata added, joining in the hug and kissing the top of Megumi's head. "The life of a chef isn't an easy one, and there will be obstacles along the way. Right now you've encountered one of those obstacles, and your father and I are going to help you overcome it."

"Really?"

"Really," Naruto whispered, nuzzling the side of his daughter's hair, "The first thing we want you to know is that no matter how good you get, there's will always be people trying to critique your work, or someone who doesn't like you for some stupid reason. Most of the time it's because of jealousy, or other times they can't see what's great in front of them as if their vision is all clouded. Heck, your Mom and I still have our critiques, the mangy bastards." Megumi giggled as her mother chided her father on his language, giving him a swift chop to the back of the head, eliciting a yelp to escape his lips. "Sorry, Hina-chan."

"What your father means to say is that it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks. If people want to whisper nasty comments, then let them, and if they try to degrade your work, then they can try. The most important thing to remember is that if you love cooking as much as we think you do, then nothing in the world should stop you from achieving your goal."

"Never give up," Megumi whispered, which were three words she heard he father recount on many occasions.

Naruto beamed and nodded, "Never give up." His face grinned and nudged her with his elbow, "You never do when your playing Table Tennis, that's for sure."

"Dad!" Megumi whined, turning red face as her father's teasing. She knew how competitive she got when it came to Table Tennis. She could blame her Aunt Hanabi for that one since she was the one who got her interested in the sport. Her amber eyes turned to look up at both her parents, "Do you both think I can do it? Do you think I can go out and perform in the Autumn Elections?"

Her mothers smiled her usual loving smile, and her father's hand sat comfortably on her head. Megumi felt him lean forward and press her forehead against his. Her amber eyes stared into his blues ones, the love and confidence he had towards her shining like diamonds, "I think you can do anything you put your mind too."

Megumi choked on a sob, her hand covering her mouth, "You think so? You think I stand a chance?"

"Yes, I do. Do you want to know why?" He asked, watching Megumi nod her head, wanting to know. "It's because you're my daughter, and I believe in you."

It didn't take long for the tears to return, but instead of tears of sadness, they were tears of happiness as her father's kinds words filled her with his love. "Daddy!" Megumi cried, and threw her arms around his neck, and buried her face into his shoulder.

Hinata's hand came up and rested on Megumi's back, mimicking Naruto's earlier actions of rubbing circles in the centre of her back, "We're going to be with you every step of the way, Megumi-chan. We'll help you prepare for the Autumn Election Exams, and show everyone what happens when you challenge an Uzumaki." Hinata whispered, kissing her daughters cheek and nuzzling into the side of her face. A giggle broke out between mother and daughter, one that filled Naruto's soul with warmth and joy.

He turned his head and looked at his wife, mouthing the words, "I love you." God, how he loved this woman.

"I love you too." Hinata mouthed back, leaning over and laying a chaste kiss on her husband's lips.

Their daughter was going to be okay. They would be her pillars. If she fell, then they would be the ones to pick her back up. If she needed reassuring or she was sad and upset, then they would hug her and shroud her in their love. No matter how old Megumi or any of their children became, Naruto and Hinata swore they would always be there to support them. As incredible of a career being a chef was, being a parent to their children was the highlight of their lives. If they had to choose one over the other, neither Naruto nor Hinata, would hesitate on what their choice would be.

The job of a parent was never over.

* * *

"How's Megumi-chan?" Isshiki asked, standing in the doorway to the Polar Star Kitchen. He wasn't trying to snoop, but when he heard the door to Megumi's room open after an hour of her parents going inside, he had to assume their conversation went well. Some might have called Isshiki unconventional with his slight obsession with his juniors, but the 7th Seat had good reason to feel that way. He saw a tremendous amount of untapped potential in all of his juniors, and he wanted to help cultivate that talent. That was why he nominated Soma, Ryoko, Yuki, Zenji, Shun and Megumi. He tried to include Shoji and Diego too, but there was a limit to the number of people from his dorm he could nominate.

"She's fine now," Naruto replied, standing over the counter. He wore an apron around his waist, "She and her Mom are taking a bath. I'm preparing a little dinner for us since no one's eaten yet. You're welcome to join us if you like. There's more than enough."

"That would be wonderful. Thank you," Isshiki said back, taking a seat at the counter. The chance to watch Naruto Uzumaki cook a meal, no matter how simplistic, was not a chance he wanted to miss.

"I hope you don't mind, but I helped myself to some of the ingredients you have. I didn't think to make a food run as we made our way here."

"Not at all. You're more than welcome to use whatever you find. You are a Totsuki Alumni after all." Naruto nodded, sending a silent thanks to Isshiki, before the teen asked, "What are you making? If you don't mind my asking?"

"Oh, nothing fancy. I thought Megumi could use a taste from home, so I'm making some of her favourite sushi."

"Ah, that's nice. Megumi-chan has a weakness when it comes to Sushi."

Naruto hummed in agreement, "She gets that from Hina-chan. I think it's a family thing. My Father-in-law is the same way. On many occasions, I'd return home from the restaurant, and I'd find the three of them tucked away in the kitchen, humming in delight over the sushi they prepared together. It's a weakness I've exploited more then once if I wanted to earn some brownie points from them."

Bringing out a girthy looking salmon Isshiki knew arrived earlier that day from one of his many contacts, he watched as Naruto placed the salmon on chopping board on the counter in front of him. Picking up a sharp knife, Isshiki couldn't help but lean in as he watched the former 1st seat go to work. He was thankful he did because everything happened in the blink of an eye. One moment the fish was lying on its side untouched, and then the next thing Isshiki knew, the salmon was cut methodically along the belly with another cut reaching around to it's back. The head was quick to go next, and Isshiki felt entranced as the tall blonde removed the kidneys. The fins were next to go, and without looking away, he watched as the famous Alumni made two cuts along the body in the blink of an eye. He turned the salmon on its side, and Ishiki watched as two large fillets fell onto the board, separated from the main body. Not a single piece of the delicious looking fillets was unproportioned, or missing an edge. They were as smooth and perfect as they could be.

_'So fast,'_ Isshiki thought, blinking in wonder. Preparing any fish that size would take a competent chef around a minute or so to prepare but Chef Uzumaki had done it in seconds. That alone spoke volumes on his level of mastery. He pulled out another salmon and repeated the action, finishing off with four pieces of perfect -looking salmon fillets on the table counter.

"Wow," Isshiki praised. "Your speed in preparing that Salmon was impressive."

"Thanks, but as I said, it's nothing fancy. Practice makes perfect."

Isshiki said nothing else and chose to sit back and watch as the man went to work. He saw the man pull out some soy sauce, Mirin, Red Wine and kombu to marinade with the salmon fillets, and got started on the sushi rice on the other side of the kitchen. A variety of vegetables sat on a plate, ranging from cucumber, red onion, avocado, and carrots. A small pot of vinegar sat inside the rice, and Isshiki wondered where the ingredient was going.

He felt his excitement grow but tried not to show it.

After ten minutes, soft footsteps approached him from behind, and turning around, Isshiki watched as Megumi and Hinata walked inside. "Isshiki-senpai?" Megumi asked, dressed in her pyjama's with a nighttime robe wrapped comfortably around her and comfy slippers on her feet. Hinata dressed in a similar manner, though her nighttime robe looks much more snug on her then it did on Megumi.

Megumi almost stumbled as Isshiki appeared in front of her, his hands clasping onto her and bringing them up to his chest, "Megumi-chan, I'm so glad to see you're okay. You had me worried!" He pouted his lips, "Don't ever make me worry like that again!"

Megumi shook her head and tried to bow, despite not having use of her hands, "Sorry Senpai! I won't worry you or the others like that again."

"You better not!"

"I won't!"

"I thought I might not see my dear Megumi-chan again! My heart filled with dread!

"Ahh, I'm sorry!"

Hinata giggled as Megumi and Ishhiki had their back and forth, and strolled over to her husband. Wrapping an arm around his waist, she leaned her head on his shoulder, "Hmm, are you making what I think you're making?"

Naruto nodded, smiling down at his wife, "Of course. I thought it would cheer Megumi up, and I thought I'd treat my wife for being such an incredible mother."

"In that case, I should treat my husband for being such a wonderful father."

"I can think of a few ways," He grinned, making them both laugh and peck each other on the lips. Megumi noticed her parents posture from the corner of their eyes, and couldn't stop a beaming smile from crossing her face. Words couldn't describe how in love her parents were. They had been that way for as long as she could remember. The two of them gravitated towards each other. No matter how far apart they were, their love for each other only grew stronger with every passing day.

Deep down, Megumi hoped she had the same kind of love her parents had in the future. The type of love that went beyond anything imaginable.

After a short time passed, the Uzumaki trio and Isshiki found themselves seated around the table, a large platter of mouth-watering sushi decorating the top. An extra cup of soy sauce placed next to the board. Isshiki tried to compose himself since he was in the presence of Culinary Royalty, but the excitement was racing through his veins. Just looking at the delicate and mouthwatering pieces of sushi made his stomach groan, wanting to be filled with body melting cuisine. The way the salmon melted perfected with the short-grain rice, and the vegetables that sandwiched between the two. Reminiscent of tiny jewels, it seemed like a shame to ruin such culinary beauty. Sushi, even the more basic types, could look like they were worth thousands of yen.

Chopsticks at the ready, Naruto send a nod everyone's way, "Dig in, everyone."

Not needing to be told twice, Isshiki picked up the first piece, looking at it for a brief moment before chomping down on it. It took only a second for Isshiki's eye's to widen as flavour exploded in his mouth, sending his taste buds into a frenzy. He savoured every chew. He recognised the presence of nikiri sauce as it was a staple within Japanese cuisine when it came to sushi. Nikiri was known for bringing out the umami flavour in fish dishes and mixed with the marinade that Naruto glazed into the salmon served to enhance the overall taste, making it feel like a bullet train slamming into the sense of taste.

Isshiki could see it now, as his vision briefly hazed over. Standing in the middle of the ocean, the wildlife of the sea's dancing around him and the rush of a bullet train gliding over the water swept him up into the air. It felt freeing as if his earthly shackles broke away. He could picture all of his juniors of Polar Star around him, free-falling through the air as the force of the bullet train kept them elevated. Their happy smiles and faces of joy sent warmth spreading throughout his body. He hummed in bliss, taking a deep breath of delight.

"Hmm," Isshiki looked up from the table and watched Megumi and her mother hum in delight as they experienced the same sensations he was feeling.

"It's taste's amazing, Daddy!" Megumi muttered between bites. She looked a lot happier then earlier, her amber eyes glazing over in bliss.

Hinata nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with her daughter's statement, "You used special vinegar on the rice, didn't you?"

"You know me well, Hina-chan."

_'Of course!'_ Isshiki thought, swallowing his piece of sushi after a brief moment, _'Glazing the sushi rice with vinegar causes the rice to develop a more mellow richness, allowing the rice to maintain a soft and fluffy finish.' _He wondered when the senior chef did it but didn't get swept up in his curiosity. He was too swept up in how good the meal tasted. He had a tiny amount of disappointment the rest of his juniors couldn't share this with them.

"It's delicious," Isshiki added, going in for a second piece.

"I'm glad to hear it. I'm no master like Hinata and her family, but I know enough to keep my girls happy." Naruto said, kissing his wife's hand and patting the top of Megumi's head. Both women smiled at him and leaned on him from their respective sides. "If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few things about the Autumn Elections. You said you were the 7th seat, yes?"

Isshiki nodded, relishing the taste of the second piece of sushi before he straightened himself out, "Of course. What would you like to ask?"

The blonde turned to his wife, with Hinata taking her eyes of her husband and looking over at Isshiki, "We'd like to know if the training period between now and the preliminaries is still the Summer Vacation. It's been a while since we were last involved in an Autumn Election in any capacity."

Isshiki dapped his mouth with a napkin, getting rid of any pieces of stray rice, "It is, yes. A letter will be sent out in a couple of days informing the 60 participants what the theme will be for this Election," Isshiki gave an apologetic look, I'm sorry, but I can't reveal what the theme will be. It would be against the rules."

No one minded, and neither Naruto not Hinata expected as such. Hinata waved it off, "That's fine, Isshiki-san. All we ask is that once you reveal the theme, can you inform Megumi that same day by phone? You see, she won't be here on the day of the announcement."

"Oh? Why so?" Isshiki asked, his eyes widening marginally. He turned to Megumi, who was smiling her usual cute smile but noticed her hands gripping the fabric of her pyjama t-shirt.

"I've decided to go home for the Summer Break, and learn everything I can from my family," Megumi revealed and smiled up at her Dad when he put his hand over hers in comfort, "I want to become more confident as a chef, and I want to learn how to better myself. Dad said he would let me join him at Hokage Ramen in the evenings so that I could handle a real culinary working environment, and learn how to deal with the pressure."

"I see. You're sure about this, Megumi-chan?" Isshiki asked, but saw the quiet determination that shined in her eyes. He always knew Megumi had an enormous amount of untapped potential, and that she needed the right catalyst to give her the push to awake that potential. It looked like the Autumn ELection was just the thing she needed to find her determination.

"I am, Ishhiki-senpai."

She sounded confident, which was nice to hear, "When would you be leaving?"

Megumi gave a sad smile, "Tomorrow morning."

Deep down, the 7th seat wished she would stay, but he could see Megumi needed this. Some time with her family might be what she needed to help her. Isshiki closed his eyes, took a deep breath and smiled at his junior, "Then I wish you the best of luck, Megumi-chan. There is no doubt in my mind you're going to show every at the Election exactly what you're capable of." He turned to look at Naruto and Hinata, "I will make sure Megumi-chan gets the theme the day everyone else does."

"Thank you."

"Everyone will miss you while you're gone. Yuki especially." Isshki could already picture the scene in his head. Yuki would be clinging to Megumi's middle, crying and trying to convince her to stay, while Ryoko would be trying to calm the orange-haired girl down. Yuki could get very emotional when the prospect of one of her dormmates leaving appeared on the table. Though Megumi would only be absent from Polar Star for a month, it was still too long for Yuki to handle. Isshiki could already foresee an eventful summer coming his way. He just hoped Yuki could focus on her dish.

Megumi was thinking along the same lines. She made a note to call Yuki and Ryoko every day and keep her two closest friends updated as the summer ran along. Her thoughts briefly turned to Soma, but she knew if anyone would be able to handle the pressure of the Autumn Election Exams, it was him. He'd done so much for her already, and now she wanted to show him it wasn't all for nought. Her parent's encouragement rang in her mind, and the desire to prove to Soma her passion for cooking hadn't dimmed. She wanted to show him her love for cooking could equal his own.

"I know, but I'm sure she'll understand. I need this." Megumi let out a tired sigh, but deep down, she knew this was the right move to make. "I'm ready."

Naruto and Hinata grinned at each other. The next month was going to be a long one, but they were both eager to see the results already.

Seeing the renewed passion in Megumi's eyes, they had a feeling their daughter would end up making one hell of a splash at the Preliminaries.

_'I can't wait.'_


End file.
